Small Mixed Breed

A Unique Dog

Lively, intelligent, friendly

Small Mixed Breeds are extraordinary pets. While it is interesting to learn about the breeding purpose of Small Mixed Breeds, their genetics actually influence health, outward appearance and behavior. Some behaviors make the Small Mixed Breed and some can be quite irritating! Understanding her unique needs will help you keep her healthy and will create a stronger bond between the two of you. Explore this page to learn more about where she came, which health conditions are a risk to her and how to keep her feeling her best.

Ease of training

Affection toward owners

Friendliness toward strangers

Routine Care: Keep your Small Mixed Breed's diet consistent, and don’t give her people food. She is well suited to apartment life as long as she is given daily walks and frequent play sessions.

Grooming: Her grooming needs will vary based on coat type and length. She may only require a weekly brushing or regular clips and grooming. Ask your veterinarian for the best recommendation.

Dental: Small mixed breed dogs generally have serious problems with their teeth, you will need to brush them at least three times a week!

Ear Care: Clean her ears weekly, even as a puppy. Don’t worry—your veterinarian can show you how!

The Small Mixed Breed dog has a combination of a lot of different traits.

Positive Traits:

Well suited as a companion dog

Compact and travels well

Loving and loyal to her owners

Excellent watchdog

Alert, curious, and busy

Negative Traits:

Difficult to housetrain

Can be aggressive, fearful, or snappy if not socialized properly

Has a tendency to bark quite a bit if the behavior is rewarded

Prone to separation anxiety

Needs regular exercise and diet regulation to avoid weight gain

Knowing your pal’s genetic make-up is an important step you can take to ensure her future health and happiness. Just because your pet looks like a Chihuahua doesn’t mean she is a Chihuahua! And even if she is part Chihuahua, it doesn’t mean she’ll have the same behavioral tendencies or health problems as a Chihuahua. In fact, she could have inherited some of those traits from her parents or grandparents of entirely different breeds. You may want to know which breeds your dog is so that your veterinarian can tell you what to expect in terms of his behavior and health. By exploring the health concerns specific to your dog you will become a knowledgeable and confident pet parent. Be sure to speak with your veterinarian about breed risks every time you visit and educate yourself on the most important symptoms to watch for at home. She’s counting on you to be her health expert.

Disclaimer: If you have a common dog breed or a purebred dog, there's probably a lot of genetic research and clinical epidemiological data that have been collected and analyzed over the years, and this large amount of data means that we can confidently predict higher than average risk of certain diseases for these breeds. When the dog breed is more rare, or is an unknown combination of breeds, we have no stockpile of documented history to draw upon when making preventive healthcare recommendations. We can however, make some educated guesses based on disease risks for dog breeds that share conformational or genetic links with your Small Mixed Breed. Based on these similarities, the following disease risks may carry higher risk, although supportive research has not been identified.

Throughout history, Mixed Breeds have been used for herding, guarding, hunting, and for companionship. It wasn't until the mid 1800's that people began to breed with the intention of achieving a pure breed. To this day, the Mixed Breed makes up most of the dog population throughout the world. Knowing the ancestry of your Mixed Breed can help you better understand the characteristics of your dog. Like most breeds, they do well with reward-based training using food.

Consult with a veterinarian if your Small Mixed Breed shows signs of the following:

Vomiting or chronic diarrhea

Weight loss or weight gain

Lumps, bumps, and moles

Lethargy, mental dullness, or excessive sleeping

Fearfulness, aggression, or other behavioral changes

Limping or lameness

Hair loss

Coughing or difficulty breathing

Episodes of weakness

Pot-belly appearance

Inability or straining to urinate

Cloudiness, redness, itching or any other abnormality involving the eyes

Itchy skin (scratching or licking)

Change in appetite or water consumption

Scratching or shaking the head, or discharge in the ear

Hopping or skipping while running

Unwillingness to jump up or go up stairs

Care

Routine Care: Keep your Small Mixed Breed's diet consistent, and don’t give her people food. She is well suited to apartment life as long as she is given daily walks and frequent play sessions.

Grooming: Her grooming needs will vary based on coat type and length. She may only require a weekly brushing or regular clips and grooming. Ask your veterinarian for the best recommendation.

Dental: Small mixed breed dogs generally have serious problems with their teeth, you will need to brush them at least three times a week!

Ear Care: Clean her ears weekly, even as a puppy. Don’t worry—your veterinarian can show you how!

Characteristics

The Small Mixed Breed dog has a combination of a lot of different traits.

Positive Traits:

Well suited as a companion dog

Compact and travels well

Loving and loyal to her owners

Excellent watchdog

Alert, curious, and busy

Negative Traits:

Difficult to housetrain

Can be aggressive, fearful, or snappy if not socialized properly

Has a tendency to bark quite a bit if the behavior is rewarded

Prone to separation anxiety

Needs regular exercise and diet regulation to avoid weight gain

Health Concerns

Knowing your pal’s genetic make-up is an important step you can take to ensure her future health and happiness. Just because your pet looks like a Chihuahua doesn’t mean she is a Chihuahua! And even if she is part Chihuahua, it doesn’t mean she’ll have the same behavioral tendencies or health problems as a Chihuahua. In fact, she could have inherited some of those traits from her parents or grandparents of entirely different breeds. You may want to know which breeds your dog is so that your veterinarian can tell you what to expect in terms of his behavior and health. By exploring the health concerns specific to your dog you will become a knowledgeable and confident pet parent. Be sure to speak with your veterinarian about breed risks every time you visit and educate yourself on the most important symptoms to watch for at home. She’s counting on you to be her health expert.

Disclaimer: If you have a common dog breed or a purebred dog, there's probably a lot of genetic research and clinical epidemiological data that have been collected and analyzed over the years, and this large amount of data means that we can confidently predict higher than average risk of certain diseases for these breeds. When the dog breed is more rare, or is an unknown combination of breeds, we have no stockpile of documented history to draw upon when making preventive healthcare recommendations. We can however, make some educated guesses based on disease risks for dog breeds that share conformational or genetic links with your Small Mixed Breed. Based on these similarities, the following disease risks may carry higher risk, although supportive research has not been identified.

History

Throughout history, Mixed Breeds have been used for herding, guarding, hunting, and for companionship. It wasn't until the mid 1800's that people began to breed with the intention of achieving a pure breed. To this day, the Mixed Breed makes up most of the dog population throughout the world. Knowing the ancestry of your Mixed Breed can help you better understand the characteristics of your dog. Like most breeds, they do well with reward-based training using food.

Watch Out For

Consult with a veterinarian if your Small Mixed Breed shows signs of the following:

Vomiting or chronic diarrhea

Weight loss or weight gain

Lumps, bumps, and moles

Lethargy, mental dullness, or excessive sleeping

Fearfulness, aggression, or other behavioral changes

Limping or lameness

Hair loss

Coughing or difficulty breathing

Episodes of weakness

Pot-belly appearance

Inability or straining to urinate

Cloudiness, redness, itching or any other abnormality involving the eyes

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